2021 standout forwards/bigs in the 3A state playoffs

<p>With the season over, we want to take a look back at a season that was before we head onto the grassroots scene. Here we focus on some senior guards that stood out in 3A during their state-run.</p> <h2><strong>Holden Morgan – Highland</strong></h2> <p>Morgan is a player that we did not know much about, but after a big season and a run with a talented Highland team, he jumped onto our radars and proved that he belonged. After having a career where he helped the Huskies win many games, Morgan deserves recognition and buckled down in his senior season to help Highland finish with a 14-2 overall record. He is an undersized big at 6’2 but makes up for it with heart and determination. He is not outworked on plays, fights hard on both ends of the floor, and does all of the small things. In the playoffs, he offered resistance down low as a force on the boards but also showcased versatility going 3-4 from beyond the arc in a win over University, where he finished with 20 points and then following that up with 12 points, 8 rebounds and five assists in the loss to Manual. Morgan is a contagious energy player, and that will live on throughout the younger Highland players moving forward. Solid player and career.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1162720" first="Bowen" last="Tolle"] – Highland</strong></h2> <p>Tolle is a 3-year varsity player that has been in some big games himself over the years and always shows up. Tolle does it all for Highland, and while Bessire was the teams leading scorer, Tolle was the team’s most consistent player. Tolle got it done in multiple ways, and his size, and athleticism separated him and put his team in positions to win. In the playoffs, he showed the ability to affect the game with his size. Tolle put up 18 points and six boards in their opening round win over University. He did not record a block in the game but altered shots and was an immovable defender that protected the paint. In the loss to Manual, he did the same thing. Controlled what he could control. He had 11 points and seven rebounds in the game. He recorded a block and steal and made it so that opposing guards had to think twice about coming inside and have to work hard to slow him down. We did not get to see much of Highland over his four years, but from what we were able to see in this playoffs alone, he is a player that gave his all and played the right way.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1138334" first="Daniel" last="Alvarado"] – Strasburg</strong></h2> <p>Strasburg is a team that put their best foot forward on a nightly basis and gave opposing teams all that they could handle. They are a scrappy bunch that gets after it, and their physicality is what formed their identity. This year, their best player was their 6’4 do it all forward Alvarado, who had some monster games. Alvarado boxes out, out jumps, and out hustles opposing players game in and out, and that was on display as he was a walked double-double for the season. Alvarado averaged 13.3 points and 10.7 rebounds on the season, and even though they took an opening-round loss to a cohesive Faith Christian squad, it was not without the forward giving them all they could handle. Alvarado put up 16 points in the game and tried to get himself going inside. He was efficient from the field, let the game come to him, and did not press; his team just came up short. He is not a player that we saw a ton of, but when he was on, it gave Strasburg an opportunity to compete.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965758" first="Mamadou" last="Sow"] – Lutheran</strong></h2> <p>Sow is a player who helped carry the load when Fall was out and proved that he is capable of taking on that load and using his size to his advantage. Sow is a 6’7 forward that is great as a high-low passer and fills the gaps. He has a great mid-range jump shot, runs the lanes, and competes for rebounds on the block. Sow uses his length to get inside and finish at the rim. He also excels with hard screens and rolls with a purpose and was fed multiple times in their playoff push. Sow had a high of 16 points against Gunnison and had 14 points, and 12 rebounds against St. Mary’s in the championship. He is a glass-cleaner that makes reads and can score without having plays called for him. He goes out as a champion.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965751" first="Joah" last="Armour"] – Manitou Springs</strong></h2> <p>Armour is a player that went onto our radars heading into the season after a big summer with the Colorado Springs AAU teams. He stood out in private workouts and did not turn down the opportunity to play. Expectations were high for him heading into the season, and he fulfilled those expectations and had Manitou Springs playing some winning basketball. The 6’7 forward can step out on the wing, get out and transition and dunk and also make it difficult for bigger and slower bigs with his footwork. He put up 12.4 points a game while being a force on the boards, which was seen in his playoff run. Armour let the game come to him and found open holes in the defense. He is a two-way option capable of impacting the game both inside and out, and we saw that throughout the playoffs. The game that they lost against St. Mary’s was one where he showed it. He finished with 16 points, altered shots at the rim, and started the break himself. Armour is certainly good enough to play at the next level and is a player that I feel schools should have their eyes on.</p>